{"product_id":"plain-talk-isbn-9780471155140","title":"Plain Talk","description":"A visionary, maverick, and genuine American business hero, Ken Iverson is one of the most closely-watched business leaders in the world. Credited with single-handedly rejuvenating the rapidly declining American steel industry to the status of world-class producer, Iverson is one of the most successful and, as he likes to point out, one of the lowest-paid CEOs in the U.S. In his long-awaited book, Ken Iverson shares his ideas, observations, and the lessons he's learned about what it takes to grow a super-competitive, world-class organization.Dem Autor Ken Iverson schreibt man die Rettung der US-amerikanischen Stahlindustrie zu: Nucor, sein vor 30 Jahren gegründetes Unternehmen, hat niemals ein Quartal mit Verlust abgeschlossen, niemals einen Angestellten entlassen und wird als eine der bestgeführten Firmen Amerikas betrachtet. Dieses Buch ist ein offener, einnehmender Überblick über Iversons Management-Stil, Denkweise und Erfahrungsschatz, von dem jedes Unternehmen profitieren kann. (11\/97) A Higher Cause.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Trust Your Instincts.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Destroy the Hierarchy.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The Engines of Progress.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e A Simple Stake in the Business.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The Virtues of Smallness.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Risks and Adventures.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Ethics over Politics.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The Bottom Line.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e The Cure for the Common MBA.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Notes.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Index. \"Ken Iverson is a leader whose vision shaped an industry and the future, a leader whose character, values, and ethics merge seamlessly with the mission and values of a successful, innovative business.\" -Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO, The Peter F. Drucker Foundation\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e Ken Iverson taught us that America could compete in a tough global economy. He did it in an industry where being a maverick was the only way. His accounting of Nucor's story should serve as a blue print or us all. -David Glass, President and CEO, WalMart Stores, Inc.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e No theory; just important, practical ideas proven by Ken Iverson in the furnace at Nucor.-Peter Larson, Chairman and CEO, Brunswick Corporation\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e It is a masterpiece! Plain Talk provides a penetrating analysis of why Nucor has performed so well for so long, full of insights and solid conclusions. The book is easy to follow, very well written, and a 'must' read for every executive...a major contribution to business. -Vijay Govindarajan, Earl C. Dum 1924 Professor of International Business, Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, DartmouthCollege\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e This is a story about Ken Iverson, a man who built a major steel company from ground zero, much of it during a period when the U.S. steel industry was losing 25% of its capacity. But most of all, it's about motivating people to a level of remarkable accomplishment. You will enjoy reading this book as much as the people who work for Nucor enjoy being there.-James F. Collins, President, Steel Manufacturers Association \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eF. KENNETH IVERSON\u003c\/b\u003e was raised in Downers Grove, Illinois. After earning a bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering from Cornell and a master's degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue, Iverson started his career as a research physicist and held several technical and management positions in the metals industry.\u003cbr\u003eHe joined Nuclear Corporation of America as a vice president in 1962. When Nuclear Corporation faced bankruptcy in 1965, the board elevated Iverson, then thirty-nine years old, to President and placed the company’s future in his hands. He focused the failing company on two businesses—fabricating joists from steel (to be used in nonresidential construction) and making steel itself from recycled metal scrap. In 1972, Nuclear Corporation changed its name to Nucor Corporation. Today, Nucor is America’s third-largest steel maker.\u003cbr\u003eIverson has served on the boards of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and Wachovia Corporation. President Bush awarded him the National Medal of Technology, America’s highest award for technological achievement.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eTOM VARIAN\u003c\/b\u003e is a principal of Strategic Communications Services in Mooresville, North Carolina. His clients include Johnson \u0026amp; Johnson, 3M, and the Special Projects Group at \u003ci\u003eF\u003csmall\u003eORTUNE\u003c\/small\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e magazine.\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“We have little tolerance for the politics, the pettiness, the fixation on rank and status, or the insensitivity to employees’ needs that people in most big companies endure as a matter of course.”\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003eKen Iverson, the Chairman of Nucor Corporation, says many things you wouldn’t expect to hear from a Fortune 500 executive. But then, few top executives are such fervent champions of the frontline worker. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNow, in his long-awaited book, this visionary maverick shares valuable lessons about what it takes to build a super-competitive, world-class business. Nucor—a $3.8 billion dynamo of profitable growth—disdains committees, job descriptions, performance appraisals, and everything else bearing the taint of bureaucracy. Iverson believes people should earn according to what they produce. And he relentlessly “destroys hierarchy” to eliminate the trappings that distance managers from employees. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“When is laying people off the practical and sensible thing to do? Can we expect employees to be loyal and motivated if we lay them off at every dip of the economy, while we go on padding our own pockets?”\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNucor has never laid off an employee or shut down a facility for lack of work. Instead, the company has followed Iverson’s controversial “painsharing” approach. When times get tight, everyone takes paycuts—starting with the executives at the top. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“When a friend showed me an article that listed me as the lowest paid Fortune 500 CEO that year, I wasn’t ashamed. The company was not performing. I’d have been ashamed to earn more.”\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eKen Iverson led Nucor Corporation from near oblivion to its current place as America’s third-largest steel company. In the process, he showed a once-faltering U.S. steel industry the road back to global competitiveness. \u003ci\u003ePlain Talk\u003c\/i\u003e unveils the refreshingly sensible rationale that: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMakes Nucor production employees the best paid workers in the steel business, while giving Nucor the industry’s lowest labor costs\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eLets Nucor operate a $3.8 billion corporation with a headquarters staff of just \u003ci\u003etwenty-two\u003c\/i\u003e people (including clerical help) and just \u003ci\u003efour\u003c\/i\u003e layers of management, from the CEO to the frontline worker\u003c\/li\u003e \u003cli\u003eMakes Nucor a runaway leader in innovation with no R\u0026amp;D department and \u003ci\u003eno\u003c\/i\u003e corporate engineering group\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e“During the demonstration, a ten-foot pinwheel of molten metal shot through the garage wall like a buzz saw going through butter. It cut the building in half. Fortunately, no one was hurt. I learned that day that even a board of directors can be compelled to run very, very fast.”\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePlain Talk\u003c\/i\u003e is peppered with anecdotes from throughout Iverson’s storied career. He recounts days of gloom and glory alike with the same wry humor and the same unshakable appreciation for adventure. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003ePlain Talk\u003c\/i\u003e is unlike any business book you’ve ever read. No pat leadership formulas. No intricate management models. Just a legendary business maverick, speaking straight to you.  \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePRAISE FOR \u003ci\u003ePLAIN TALK\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e \u003cp\u003e“Ken Iverson is a leader whose vision shaped an industry and the future, a leader whose character, values, and ethics merge seamlessly with the mission and values of a successful, innovative business.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Frances Hesselbein, President and CEO The Peter F. Drucker Foundation\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Ken Iverson taught us that America could compete in a tough global economy. He did it in an industry where being a maverick was the only way. His accounting of Nucor’s story should serve as a blue-print for us all.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—David Glass, President and CEO Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“No theory; just important, practical ideas proven by Ken Iverson in the furnace at Nucor.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Peter Larson, Chairman and CEO Brunswick Corporation\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“It is a masterpiece! The book provides a penetrating analysis of why Nucor has performed so well for so long, full of insights and solid conclusions. The book is easy to follow, very well written, and a ‘must’ read for every executive.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—Vijay Govindarajan Earl C. Dum 1924 Professor of International Business Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmout College\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“This is a story about Ken Iverson, a man who built a major steel company from ground zero. But most of all, it’s about motivating people to a level of remarkable accomplishment. You will enjoy reading this book as much as the people who work for Nucor enjoy being there.”\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e—James F. Collins, President Steel Manufacturers Association\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Wiley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47989793784037,"sku":"NP9780471155140","price":39.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780471155140.jpg?v=1761785492","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/plain-talk-isbn-9780471155140","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}